OBSERVATIONS:


8/26/10

To Sir, With Love video clip:
INTASC #3: Diverse Learners
  • In this clip, the teacher observes the rowdy and disruptive students in his class
  • He is referred to as "the new lamb for slaughter"
  • He also gets a feel of what the teachers lounge is like
  • On his first day of class, he takes attendance, but the students are not responsive and rude
  • He has them each read something to get a feel of what they know

Whole Brain Teaching: The Basics:
Introduction to Power Teaching
INTASC #1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
  • This clip introduced Power Teaching
  • This is a great way to get your students to focus and listen effectively
  • One way is the "class-yes" and the "teach-ok" method. This is a way to get attention and keep students involved. It starts out with the teacher saying either "class" or "teach" and the students replying with "yes" or "ok" in the same manner or tone as the teacher.
  • Another method is the paying for "extra credit or dextra credit", "smiley face or un-smiley face" or "more or less homework". This is a great tool to keep the class disciplined. They are rewarded or not depending upon their behavior.
  • Another key point was to micro-lecture, which is only talking for a short amount of time, about 30 seconds. The more teachers talk, the less attentive students are.
  • Another method to Power Teaching is the Big Point-Hands and Eyes method. This is key for getting quality attention for something very important. This makes students focus and pay attention.
  • Lastly, there is the comprehension check. This is when the teacher walks around to listen to the students to test their understanding of what was lectured.

Power Teaching to Middle Schoolers:
INTASC #1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
  • This clip demonstrates how Power Teaching can be used on Middle School students
  • They learned the five basic rules of the classroom:
    • Rule #1: Follow directions quickly
    • Rule #2: Raise your hand for permission to speak
    • Rule #3: Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat
    • Rule #4: Make smart choices
    • Rule #5: Keep your dear teacher happy
  • The students effectively listened to Biffle and followed his directions.
  • They only had 25 minutes of practice before they stared filming

Power Teaching Lesson 1:
INTASC #2,4,5,6
  • This clip shows you how to start a class
  • You must go in with a plan
    • This plan will challenge the students
    • It also shows them you know what you are doing
  • Start out with the "class"-"yes" strategy
    • They must understand the concept of it by saying "yes" the same way you said "class"
    • This is an attention getter that works every time
    • Creates student engagement, which is what Power Teaching is all about

Power Teaching Lesson 2:
INTASC #2,3,4,5,6,7,8
  • This clip goes over the five basic classroom rules, along with their gestures.
    • Rule #1: Follow directions quickly
    • Rule #2: Raise your hand for permission to speak
    • Rule #3: Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat
    • Rule #4: Make smart choices
    • Rule #5: Keep your dear teacher happy
  • Biffle states that in order to follow the rules, you must practice them daily with your students
    • Make it fun when practicing
  • You have three options to practice:
    • You give a prompt, then the student reply
    • Using silly voices
    • Have a student come to the front of the class and guide the class

Power Teaching Lesson 3:
INTASC #3,5,6,7
  • This clip dealt with Rule #1: Follow directions quickly
  • This rule has to do with everything in the classroom, for example, passing in and out things, how to enter or leave the classroom, etcetera.
  • When giving directions, give some sort of time limit to beat, to earn a reward in the end.
  • Makes an orderly classroom
  • This engages students, the key to power teaching

Power Teaching Lesson 4:
INTASC #4,5,6,7
  • This clip deals with Rule #2: Raise your hand form permission to speak
  • This is the most difficult classroom management tool
  • In order to get student to follow Rule #2, you must practice breaking it. Then, when the rule is being broken, you can call out "Rule #2", have the students stop what they are doing, and have them repeat what the rule is.
    • This uses disruption as a cue for the students
  • This brings you the teacher and the students together, as opposed to against each other.

9/2/2010

Power Teaching Lesson 5:
INTASC #5: Motivation and Management: The teacher uses a understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning and self motivation.
  • Focuses on Rule #3: Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat
  • Practice breaking the rule to enforce the rule
  • Practice proper following of the rule
  • Place a post-it next to the rule when it can be broken
  • Following directions = student engagement

Power Teaching Lesson 6:
INTASC #6: Communication and Technology: The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.
  • Focuses on Rule #4: Make Smart Choices
  • Covers all areas both in and out of the classroom
  • Encourage students to think about their choices in various situations--smart and foolish
  • Teaches moral reasoning

Power Teaching Lesson 7:
INTASC #9: Reflective Practice/Professional Growth: The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seek out opportunities to grow professionally.
  • Focuses on Rule #5: Keep your dear teacher happy
  • Do not argue with students
  • Explain that you know Rule #5 and that you are the expert of knowing what make you happy and not happy
  • Kids look for loopholes
  • Rule #5 = NO ARGUMENT RULE
  • You are the absolute authority
  • It is all about the kids all the time--learning makes you happy

Power Teaching Lesson 8:
INTASC #3: Diverse Learners: The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
  • Review of teaching techniques
  • "Class-yes"
    • Attention getter
    • Say different ways
    • Use variety because it is used so often
  • Use lined concepts
    • 4+4=8, Capitals, Book Titles, Etc.
  • 5 Classroom Rules with gestures and signs
    • Practice, practice, practice
  • Don't go into teaching if repeating yourself bugs you because teaching is repeating

9/16/2010

This applies to all the clips:
INTASC #3: Diverse Learners: The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.

Bloom's Taxonomy and Lesson Planning:
  • Original by Bloom (1950)
    • Knowledge
    • Comprehension
    • Application
    • Analysis
    • Evaluation
    • Synthesis
  • Anderson's revised (1990)
    • Remembering
    • Understanding
    • Applying
    • Analyzing
    • Evaluating
    • Creating
  • Surface Learning
    • Focus on facts
    • Rotate Learning
    • Short term memory
  • Deep Learning
    • Meaning
    • Aims at learning
    • Long term memory
  • SKA
    • Skills
    • Knowledge
    • Attitude

Intro to Assessment and Bloom
  • Improve student learning
  • Learning strategies (taxonomies)
  • 3 Domains:
    • Cognitive (intellectual, thinking)
    • Affective (how do they feel?)
    • Psychomotor (can they do it?)
  • Cognitive Domain is broken down to six levels ranked lowest to highest (1-6)
    • 6) Evaluation: Evaluate, judge
    • 5) Synthesis: Create
    • 4) Analysis: Think, compare/contrast
    • 3) Application: Apply knowledge to new situation
    • 2) Comprehension: Understanding
    • 1) Knowledge: Basic, from experience

Bloom's Taxonomy:
  • Pyramid representation of the taxonomy
    • Create (something new)
    • Evaluating (defend concept/idea)
    • Analyzing (distinguish different parts)
    • Applying (use information in new ways)
    • Understanding (explain information/concepts)
    • Remembering (retention of information)

Vella's 12 Principles of Good Teaching:
  • Created in 1994
    • 1: Needs Assessment
    • 2: Safety
    • 3: Sound Relationships
    • 4: Sequence and Reinforcement
    • 5: Praxis
    • 6: Respect
    • 7: Ideas, feelings, actions
    • 8: Immediacy
    • 9: Clear Roles
    • 10: Teamwork
    • 11: Engagement
    • 12: Accountability

9/23/10

Observations from folder presentations:
INTASC STANDARDS:

#4). Multiple Instructional Strategies - The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills.

#5). Motivation and Management - The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

  • Stephanie
    • Promote creativity, diversity
    • Classroom is a "safe place"
    • Great pacing
    • Smile
    • Very welcoming
  • Wayne
    • Relate everyday things to living things within the classroom
    • HUMOR
    • Enthusiasm
    • Great voice/face expression

Notes from Thematic Units Text
INTASC STANDARD:

#9). Reflective Practice: Professional Growth - The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

  • Chapter 1: Wayne
    • Pros/Cons of block scheduling
    • Technology use
    • Incorporate other content areas
    • Active curriculum
    • Community/parent involvement
  • Chapter 2: Diane
    • No Child Left Behind and reality of it
    • Interdisciplinary Thematic Unit (ITU)
      • Develop a theme
      • Rationale
      • Scope
      • Sequence
    • What experience do you want the students to have?
    • A lot of internet references
  • Chapter 3: Jeanine
    • Clarify goals/objectives
    • Educational objective vs. institutional objective
    • Aligned vs. authentic assessments
    • Constructivist vs. behaviorist views
    • Various expectations
      • Imitation, manipulation, articulation, naturalizing, precision performance
  • Chapter 4: Me
    • Assessment is key for student development
    • Diagnostic (before), Formative (during), Summative (after)
    • Maintain organized and complete records of students' achievements (grades)
    • Preset standards grading vs. curve grading
  • Chapter 5: Rebekah
    • Real-life activities to bring together lesson
    • Place-based educational trips (instead of field trip)--get money if you word it this way
    • Role playing assignment/project

10/7/10 Below is my Grid: